Part 1: The Gathering

"Are you sure?" I ask, staring at my reflection from hanging mirror on the door.

"You look...great." Miriam, my twin sister, mutters slowly from the under the triple layered covers of her bed.

"That's not what I'm asking," I walk towards her so she can see the clothes she had me wear looks on me. "Are you sure no one will notice that I'm not you?"

Miriam had pleaded me to go to her club gathering in her place because she suddenly caught a cold last night. Why? I asked her earlier this morning.

Because...I'm the club president, I got to be there. It'll look bad if I'm not, I'm the one who planned the event. People will start wondering why the club president isn't there and--

Okay, okay. I cut her off, nothing she said made much sense but I got the gist of it. I'll go to your club meeting, but only this once, alright?

Thank you, Micah. You're the best little twin sister ever.

"Plus, your clothes look weird on me." I slowly make a spin so Miriam can examine me. "This skirt make my bottom half feel exposed."

"You'll be fine," Miriam assures me. "The only two who'll know are Leah and Keren because I texted them this morning. They'll take care of you, alright?"

I sigh loudly, making sure that Miriam can hear how uncomfortable I feel right now from under her covers. The only reason I agreed to do this is because we go to different schools. Not many people know we are twins.

I stare back at the mirror again. I suppose I do kind of look like Miriam now, but still, it feels so unnatural. What if the way I walk is different from how Miriam walks? Wait, how does Miriam walks in a skirt anyway?

"Miriam--"

Ding dong. Before I could finish my question, the doorbell rings.

"Leah and Keren are here." Miriam informs me.

"Okay, but before I go, do I walk like you?"

Miriam pauses for a bit, muffling under the covers like she's trying to catch her breath. "What are you talking about, silly. We're twin, we're alike in everything we do."

With that, I left for the door. I feel a little more confident now.

"Hey Micah!" Lead waves from the driver's seat as Keren and I walk to the vehicle. "For a second there I thought you were Miriam. You two do look alike now that you're in her clothes."

"We are twins." I laugh it off as I climb into the back seats. "Hopefully you two don't find it weird."

"Nope. Miriam likes to keep a good image, makes total sense that she would have you go in her place." Keren responses playfully with a bit of a laughter in her voice.

I feel more comfortable now with Leah and Keren's presence, but then it hits me. "What do I do if someone start talking to me?"

"Don't worry," Leah assures me, "Keren and I will do the talking. You just have to stand back and act like a big bosslady."

Right. Stand back and zip my mouth.

"We're here!" Keren announces as Leah pulls into the parking lot at Combe Park. The park is already full kids running around, by kids I mean high school students from Miriam's school.

"Micah, mind grabbing that bag back there?" Leah asks as she pulls her key from the ignition.

"Sure." I grab the bag and peak at its contents, mini Kit-Kat bars.

"It's for one of today's activity." Leah explains and I nod back at her.

Keep my mouth shut and just follow them, I remind myself as we walk through the groups of highschool kid as I occasionally wave back with a smile I've practiced with this morning.

"Miriam!" Someone calls out my twin sister's name, running up to me. "You got to stop them!"

"S-stop what?" I'm puzzled by the sudden approach. Who am I stopping?

"Amber, what's going on?" Leah steps in.

"Kyle got into a fight." Amber is out of breaths. "There's blood."

"What the heck?!" Leah exclaims loudly, weaving behind Amber through the large crowd. I follow them.

"Who's the other dude?" Keren asks, pointing the guy wearing a black T-shirt landing a punch into who I assume is Kyle's face.

"How are we supposed to stop them?" Leah panics.

"Boys are so stupid, what are they even fighting about?"

Without thinking, I run towards them. My feet just move by themselves. "Stop! Stop!" I hear myself screaming. My hands touched something. Everything became hazy. Something hot slams on my right cheek. I push back whatever force was coming at me.

"Miriam!" I hear Keren and Leah shouting from somewhere.

I also hear something else.

"Micah!" Someone is hovering over me, blocking the sun from my eyes. "Micah? Micah?"

"Miriam! Miriam, are you alright?" I didn't realize I was on the ground until Leah starts to help me up onto my feet.

"What's going on…" I begin to ask.

"Are you alright?" Leah's hands are firm on my shoulders. I nod. I feel a bit dizzy and my face is burning.

"Micah, you're Micah right?" It's the guy wearing the black T-shirt. I may have know him from somewhere, but I can't remember. There's blood dripping down from his lip.

My hand reaches out to wipe it. "You're bloody." I hear myself telling him. There're bloodstains on the cuff of Miriam's sweater.

"Keren, I'm sorry, I'm not feeling too good, can you take me home?"